Means for installing filler blocks in hot blast stove flues



NOV. 24, 1931. w, JOHNSON 1,833,579

MEANS FOR INSTALLING FILLER BLOCKS IN HOT BLAST STOVE FLUES Filed Jan. 12, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l T7Z Me 72 to 7 {27a [mar ZdJoizrz 5072,

NOV. 24, 1931. w JQHNSQN 1,833,579

MEANS FOR INSTALLING FILLER BLOCKS IN HOT BLAST STOVE FLUES Filed Jan. 12, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I-IJ'ALMAR W. JOHNSON, OF EAST CHICAGO, INDIANA MEANS FOR INSTALLING FILLER BLOCKS IN HOT BLAST STOVE FLUES Application filed January 12, 1931. Serial No. 508,361.

As a preface to a description of my invencertain parts sectioned, of a ortion of my tion it might be stated that until recently the improved device for lowering t 1e filler bloc-ks gas supplied from the blast furnaces to the to position in the flues. hot blast stoves with which they co-operate, Figure 3 is a View wholly in elevation of 5 contained relatively large amounts of forthe portion of the device shown in Fig. 2. 5 eign particles, due to ineffective cleaning of Figure l is a view in elevation of the dethe gases, which accumulated in the upwardvice showing it as supporting a filler block of 1y extending fines of the stoves, resulting in the form in which the lower approximately the lowering of the capacity and efliciency of one-third of the tier thereof inserted into a the stoves and requiring removal of such acflue, is provided. so

cumulations at intervals. Accordingly, in Figure 5 is a similar view but showing the the building of the checker work of the stoves filler block but of the form used for the next the fines, to permit cleaning thereof and preapproximately one-third of the tier.

vent clogging, were required to be of such Figure 6 is a similar view, the block therelarge cross sectional area as to produce an unin shown being of the form in which the re- 05 satisfactory transfer of heat from the gas maining upper portion of the tier is proto the walls of the flues resulting in the gas vided.

discharging into the stack at high tempera- Figure 7 is an enlarged plan sectional view tures producing large heat losses since the taken through one of the fines and showing volume of gas passed through the stoves is the filler block of Fig. 6 positioned therein;

very large. and

Due to recent improvements inthe clean- Figure 8, a diagram of an electric circuit ing of blast furnace. gas the gas is sufiiciently for effecting the disconnection of the device cleaned to avoid the objectionable deposits of from the filler block after the latter has been solid material above referred to and thus the lowered to seated position in the flue. need for fines of relatively large cross sec- In, Fig. llhave shown, by way of example, tional area and operating at low efiiciency, no a particular construction of hot blast stove longer exists. I presenting fines of large cross sectional area However, as stoves of this character are and into which the filler blocks, to reduce the very expensive those already in use and precross sectional area of the passages therein,

senting fines of large cross sectional area are inserted. In the construction shown,

cannot be scrapped or torn down and rebuilt which is fragmentary only, the upwardly exwithout great loss. tending gas flues represented at 9, are formed My object is to provide for the conditionof tiers 10 of brick or tile superposed one on 35 ing, at relatively small expense, of stoves conthe other and arranged in checker form as structedwith flues of relatively large cross shown to provide the fines 9, these tiers of sectional area, to render the passages in the brick being commonly supported on spaced fines of relatively small cross sectional area apart arches (not shown) communicating at and thereby convert such low efficiency stoves their upper ends with the upper end of the into high efficiency stoves. passage through which gas is to be fed'to the Referring to the accompanying drawings: flues, the gas discharging from the bottoms Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of these fines.

of a hot blast stove the fines of which are of In accordance with my method of inserting relatively large cross sectional area and the filler blocks into the fines 9, the blocks which it is desired be conditioned for reducare inserted in succession and under restraint ing the cross sectional area of passage for the into the fines 9 from the top thereof prefergas, this view showing the practicing of my ably one at a time to form a tier thereof in method and the utilizing of my device, for each flue the tier extending preferably from thus conditioning the stove. the top to the bottom of the flue.

90 Figure 2 isa view in side elevation, with The filler blocks are of such shape and size that the effective cross section of the flues will be reduced to the extent necessary for producing the greatest efliciency in the operation'of the stove. As the eflective cross section of the lines should be somewhat greater at the top than at the bottom thereof to produce the best results, the filler blocks for forming the lower one-third of the tier should be of greater solid cross sectional area than those forming the upper one-third portion of the tier and the effective solid cross section of the blocks forming the intermediate one-third portion of the tier should be greater than the upper one-third portion thereof but less than the lower one-third portion.

'By way of example the form-of blocks for the lower one-third, the intermediate onethird,and the upperone-third portions of the tier may be those represented in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, respectively.

. The particular I construction of means shown for lowering the blocks to position in the flues 9 comprises an electric cable 11 looped at its lower end to' forman eye 12 with its deflected end 13 secured in position as by a binding wire represented at 14, the loop structure being bound with tape as represented at 15.

Supported on the eye 12 is a rigid hook member 16 of metal the shank 17 of which contains an opening through which the loop end 13 of the cable 11 extends thus suspending the hook 16 from the cable.

The block to be lowered into the flue is supported on the hook 16 at a loop element 18 on the block represented at 19, as shown in Figs. 1, 4, 5 and 6, this element preferably being a cord tied about the block as shown. The

- connection thus provided permits the opera hook 16 is a tor to lower the block gently to seated position in the flue which is provided at its lower end with a cross bar (not shown) adjacent the arches and thus avoid damage to the block.

Having lowered the block to the position stated itis necessary to release the block from the hook 16 this being accomplished in accordance with the preferred embodiment of my invention by constructing the block-suspending means asfollows:

Extending along the inner surface of the piece 20 of bare current resisting Wire between which and the inner surface of the hook a strip 21 of insulating material is interposed, the wire 20 being in contact with the loop 18 when the block is suspended from the hook. One end of the wire 20 is clamped in place by a bolt 22 extending through the hook 16 and the insulating material 21 and electrically connecting the wire with the hook 16. The other end of the'wire 20 is clamped by a bolt 23 supported on an insulating fiber strip 24 secured flatwise against the insulat ing material 21 by bolts 25.

The bolt 23 also clamps to the wire 20 one that it will extend above the of the wires represented at 26 of the two wires forming the cable 11, the other wire thereof being represented at 27, the latter being clamped in place by one of the bolts 25. Thus the wire 26 is electrically connected with the wire 20 which latter is connected by the bolt 22 with the hook 16 in turn electrically connected with the wire 27 by one of the bolts25.

The wires 26 and 27 would be electrically connected with any suitable source of current as for example an electric service line; the circuit in whichthe wire 20 is interposed con taining a switch positioned to be accessible by the operator for closing the circuit after the block has been lowered to set position. The. electric circuit would also preferably have interposed therein a resistance to vary the current traversing the circuit.

Referring now to the. diagram shown in Fig. 8 the switch above referred to is shown as interposed in the wire 27 at such a point flue 9 in the lowering of the first block into the latter. This switchrepresented at 28 is preferably of such construction that it may be operated to close the circuit by the operator pressing downwardly against it with his foot. As shown it may comprise two sections 29 and 30 of wood hinged together at 31 and provided with contacts 32 and 33, respectively, the section 30 being held stationary and the section 29 being movable to engage its contact 32 with the contact 33 and close the circuit therethrough by the operator pressing down on the section 28, springmeans such as the coil spring represented at 34 operating to normally hold the section 29 in raised, circuitbreaking, position. The electricalresistance element above referred to'is represented diagrammatically at 35 and is shown as interposed in-the wire 26. The'circuit arrange ment shown in Fig. 8 also includes'the customary line switch represented at 36 and interposed in the wires 26 and 27.

As will be understood from the foregoing description, the method of lowering the blocks is to engage the hook 16 with the looped element 18 as shown in Figs. 1, 4, 5 and 6 and the block lowered into the flue 9 by the operator paying out the cable 11 to a position in which the block becomes seated at the bottom of the flue whereupon he operates the switch 28 to close the circuit through the wire 20 which becomes heated to a degree suflicient to burn through the loop 18 thus disconnecting the hook from the block. The hooloequipped block-lowering device is then lifted out of the flue and engaged at its hook' with the loop portion 18 of the next block to be introduced into the flue in superposed position on the one first introduced and the block then lowered to seating position on the first block whereupon the operatorsears the loop 18 as explained above; the operations just described being repeated until the flue 9 has become charged with a tier of blocks 19 of the desired height, preferably of a height extending to the top of the flue, it being understood that where the tier of filler blocks is formed of the three different shapes of blocks shown in Figs. .4, 5 and 6, the lower one-third portion of the tier would preferably be shown of the blocks shown in Fig. l, the next one-third portion of the blocks shown in Fig. 5, and the top onethird portion of the blocks shown in Fig. 6.

t will be understood from the foregoing that by practicing my improved method and employing my construction of block-supporting device fines of unduly large cross sectional area may be reduced relatively quickly and economically with resultant great in crease in the efficiency of the stove. Furthermore, danger of chipping or breaking of the blocks in introducing them into seated position in the fines is reduced to the minimum due to the fact that the lowering of the blocks is under compl te control by the operator permitting him to seat them gently into position.

While I have illustrated and described certain particular steps in the practicing of my invention and have illustrated and described a'particular construction of lowering and re leasing means, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the method may be practiced in other ways and the construction of means referred to variously modified and altered without departing from the spirit of my invention.

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device for installing filler blocks in the upwardly extending fines of hot blast stoves comprising a filler-block-snpporting member by which the block is lowered into the flue, block engaging means engaged by said member, and electrical means for releasing said member from engagement with said first-named means after the block has become seated in the fine.

2. A device for installing filler blocks in the upwardly extending flnes of hot blast stoves comprising a filler-block-supporting member by which the block is lowered into the flue, block-engaging means engaged by said member, and means for applying heat to the connection between said member and said first-named means for releasing the engagement of said member with said firstnamed means.

3. A device for installing filler blocks in the upwardly extending fines of hot blast stoves comprising a filler-biock-supporting member by which the block is lowered into the fine, block engaging means engaged by said member, and electrical means for applying heat to the connection between said member and said first-named means for releasing the engagement of said member with said first-named means.

4:. A device for installing filler blocks in the upwardly extending fines of hot blast stoves comprising a member having a hook portion at which it is adapted to engage supporting means on blocks to be lowered, an electrical resistance element adjacent said hook portion, energizing means for said element, and means controlling the operation of said energizing means.

5. A device for installing filler blocks in the upwardly extending fines of hot blast stoves comprising a member having a hook portion at which it is adapted to engage supporting means on blocks to be lowered, an electrical resistance element extending at the inner surface of said hook portion, energizing means for said element, and means controlling the operation of said energizing means.

6. A device for installing filler blocks in the upwardly extending fines of hot blast stoves comprising a filler-block-supporting member by which the block is lowered into the flue, said member being in the form of an electric cable having a hook portion at its lower end adapted to engage supporting means on the block, and electrical means for releasing said member from engagement with said first-named means after the block has become seated in the fine comprising an electrical resistance element electrically connected with said cable and located adjacent said hook portion and means controlling the flow of current through said resistance element.

7. A device for installing filler blocks in the upwardly extending lines of hot blast stoves comprising a filler-block-supporting member by which the block is lowered into the hue, said member being in the form of an electric cable having a loop portion, a metal hook adapted to engage supporting means on the block and containing an opening at which it is suspended on said loop, and electrical means for releasing said hook from engagement with said means after the block has become seated in the flue comprising an electrical resistance clement extending at the inner surface of said hook and insulated therefrom, said hook being electrically connected with said cable and said resistance element electrically connected with said cable and with said hook and means controlling the flow of current through said electrical resistance element.

8. In combination, means by which a filler block is dependingly supported, a filler-block supporting member engaging said means, and means for disengaging said member from said first-named means.

9. In combination, means by which a filler block is dependingly supported, a fillerblock-supporting member engaging said means, and means for heating said firstnamed means for releasing engagement be tween said last-referred-to means and said member.

'10. In combination, supporting means for a filler-block having a loop element thereon of a material which becomes weakened by' heating it, a filler block supporting member for supporting said block at said loop element, and means for disengaging said member from said element.

11. In combination, supporting means for a filler b-lock having a loop element thereon of a material which becomes weakened by heating it, a filler block supporting member for supporting said block at said loop element, and means for heating said loop element for releasing the engagement between said loop element and said member.

- -12. Incombination, means for supporting a filler block, a piece of cord surrounding a block and tied thereon and presenting a loop, a filler block supporting member for supporting said block at said loop, and means for applying heat to said loop to cause it to be mutilated.

13. A device forinstalling filler blocks in the upwardly extending fiues of hot blast stoves comprising a combustible cord engaging the block and by which the latter is supported, a filler block supporting member from which the block is suspended by the combustible cord and by which the block is lowered into the flue, and means for applying heat to the connection between said member and said combustible cord for releasing the engagement of said member with said cord.

14. A device for installing filler blocks in the upwardly extending fiues of a hot blast stove comprising a combustible cord engaging the block and by which the latter is supported, a filler block supporting member from which the block is suspended by said combustible cord and by which it is lowered into the fine, and electrical means for supplying heat to the connection between said member and said combustible cord for releasing the engagement of said member from said cord.

15. A device for installing filler blocks in the upwardly extending fines of hot blast stoves comprising a combustible cord engaging the block and by which the block is sup-- ported, a member having a hook portion at which it engages said combustible cord from which the blocks are suspended, an electrical resistance element adjacent said hook portion, energizing means for said element, and means for controlling the operation of said energizmg means.

HJALMAR W. JOHNSON. 

